KR20160124512A - Apparatus for x-ray image acquisition and x-ray image system using mobile device - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed are an x-ray image acquisition device and an x-ray image system using a mobile device. The x-ray image acquisition device according to the present invention comprises: a photographing unit including an x-ray generator and an x-ray sensor; a communication unit to transmit state information of the photographing unit to a specific mobile device and to receive a control signal from the mobile device; and a control unit to control the photographing unit according to the control signal and to provide the state information of the photographing unit according to the control to the communication unit. The x-ray image system according to the present invention comprises: the x-ray image acquisition device; the mobile device which is exclusively connected to the x-ray image acquisition device and provides a control signal to control the x-ray image acquisition device; and a cloud server which is connected to at least one of the x-ray image acquisition device and the mobile device and provides storage and management functions of x-ray image data.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to an X-ray image acquiring apparatus and an X-

The present invention relates to an x-ray image acquisition apparatus and an x-ray image system including the same, and more particularly, to an x-ray image system utilizing a mobile device such as a smart phone and an x-ray image acquisition apparatus suitable for such an x-ray image system.

The x-ray image acquiring apparatus includes an x-ray generator for irradiating an x-ray, and an x-ray sensor for interposing an object to be imaged therebetween so as to face the x-ray generator and detecting an x-ray transmitted through the object. The x-ray image acquisition system includes, in addition to the image acquisition device, an image processing apparatus that forms an x-ray image through the detection result of the x-ray sensor.

In a typical dental x-ray image acquisition system, an x-ray generator and an x-ray sensor are arranged in an x-ray image acquiring device together with a rotator or the like for rotating the x- And the image processing apparatus is provided in the form of a computer separate from the image capturing apparatus. Intra-Oral imaging x-ray imaging systems also include x-ray irradiators, intraoral x-ray sensors, and computers that process data from the x-ray sensors. Such a computer performs functions of receiving image data from an image acquiring device and performing image processing, and also controlling the operation of the image acquiring device and monitoring the status of the image acquiring device. To this end, a so-called control program is mounted on the computer. The computer may include a workstation having high performance in terms of computation and image processing from a general-purpose personal computer (PC).

In the conventional X-ray image acquisition system, the image acquiring device and the computer are disposed at a predetermined distance from each other and are connected through a plurality of communication lines. The plurality of communication lines include a sensor data line for transmitting the data detected by the X-ray sensor of the X-ray image acquiring device to a computer, and a control signal for controlling the operation of the image acquiring device from the computer to the image acquiring device, And a control line for transmitting information on the status of the acquiring device to a computer.

The conventional X-ray image acquisition system requires a separate computer having a specification of a predetermined level or more, a separate space for installing the computer, and a cable connecting the plurality of communication lines Which causes discomfort. The photographer can not instantly control the device while fixing the subject's body for X-ray imaging and setting the position of the device, and the position where the device is operated and confirmed is spatially separated.

In recent years, the performance of mobile devices such as smart phones and tablet PCs has greatly improved along with the development of wireless communication technology, and the application range of mobile devices in many fields such as cultural contents, shopping, finance, It is getting wider. The mobile device has not only the image display function and the calculation function for the image processing but also the touch interface function which makes the input of the user convenient. In recent years, its penetration rate has been high, and it has been optimized for linking with cloud systems through wireless communication environment, which further increases its value.

In order to solve the problems of the prior art described above, an X-ray image system using an X-ray image acquiring device and a mobile device according to the present invention does not need a separate computer for reconstructing an X- And management of the user, thereby reducing the economic and spatial burden on the user.

It is another object of the present invention to improve convenience and safety by allowing an X-ray photographer to control an X-ray image acquiring device in real time using a mobile device in the process of performing X-ray photographing.

In order to solve the above-described problems, an X-ray image acquisition apparatus according to the present invention includes an imaging unit including an X-ray generator and an X-ray sensor; A communication unit for transmitting state information including information on setting and operation state of the photographing unit to a specific connected mobile device and receiving a control signal from the mobile device; And a control unit for controlling the photographing unit according to the control signal and providing the state information of the photographing unit to the communication unit.

The x-ray image acquisition device may transmit the image pickup data acquired from the x-ray sensor to the mobile device through the communication unit.

The x-ray image acquisition device may transmit the image pickup data acquired from the x-ray sensor to an external cloud server through the communication unit.

The x-ray image acquisition apparatus may further comprise a reconstruction unit for reconstructing the x-ray image data using the photographing data acquired from the x-ray sensor, and may transmit the x-ray image data to the mobile device through the communication unit.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an X-ray imaging system including: an X-ray image acquisition device; A mobile device exclusively connected to the x-ray image acquiring device and providing a control signal for controlling the x-ray image acquiring device; And a cloud server connected to at least one of the x-ray image acquiring device and the mobile device and for storing and managing x-ray image data, wherein the x-ray image acquiring device includes an x- part; A communication unit for transmitting status information including information on setting and operation status of the photographing unit to the connected mobile device and receiving the control signal from the mobile device; And a control unit for controlling the photographing unit according to the control signal and providing the state information of the photographing unit to the communication unit.

Wherein the mobile device comprises: a control module for generating a control signal for the x-ray image acquiring device; A viewer module for displaying an image on a display unit using x-ray image data; And a communication module connected to the x-ray image acquisition device and the cloud server to perform wireless communication.

The mobile device may further include a reconstruction module for reconstructing the x-ray image data using the photographing data received from the x-ray image acquiring device.

The x-ray image acquisition apparatus may further include a reconstruction unit for reconstructing the x-ray image data using the photographing data acquired from the x-ray sensor, and the x-ray image data may be transmitted to the mobile device or the cloud server through the communication unit.

The x-ray imaging system includes a monitor; And a digital media receiver connected to the input port of the monitor and receiving the x-ray image data from the mobile device or the x-ray image acquiring device and providing the image signal to the monitor.

According to the above-described configuration, the x-ray image system using the x-ray image acquisition device and the mobile device according to the present invention can check, store and manage the x-ray image without having to have a separate computer for reconstructing the x- Thereby reducing the economic and spatial burden on the user.

In addition, according to the present invention, an X-ray photographer can control an X-ray image acquiring device in real time using a mobile device during an X-ray photographing, thereby improving the convenience of the photographer and the safety of the subject.

1 shows a configuration of an X-ray image system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows a configuration of an X-ray image system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 shows a configuration of an X-ray image system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 shows a configuration of an X-ray image acquisition device and a mobile device in the X-ray image system according to the embodiment of FIGS.

Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The technical idea of the present invention can be understood more clearly by way of examples. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. The same reference numerals are used to designate the same or similar components, and a description of components having the same reference numerals as those described in the drawings may be omitted from the description of other drawings.

1 shows a configuration of an X-ray image system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The x-ray image system S1 according to the present embodiment includes an x-ray image acquisition device 10, a mobile device 20 such as a smart phone or a tablet PC, and a cloud server 30. The mobile device 20 is exclusively connected to the X-ray image acquiring device 10 and provides a control signal for controlling the X-ray image acquiring device 10. The cloud server 30 is connected to the mobile device 20 and provides storage and management of x-ray image data.

The x-ray image acquiring apparatus 10 includes an x-ray generator and an x-ray sensor. Hereinafter, the X-ray generator and the X-ray sensor are collectively referred to as a photographing section. In the case of a conventional dental x-ray image acquiring device used for acquiring a panoramic x-ray image or a CT image of a subject's dentition and a jaw, the x-ray generator and the x-ray sensor rotate in opposite directions with respect to the subject's head, The rotating structure and the driving unit for the rotation structure may be included in the photographing unit. On the other hand, in the case of an X-ray image acquiring apparatus for IntraOral imaging, a portable X-ray irradiating apparatus having a miniaturized X-ray generator and an intraoral x-ray sensor or the like may be included in the photographing unit.

The x-ray image acquiring device 10 is provided with the above-described photographing unit, a control unit, and a communication unit. The X-ray image acquiring device 10 is connected to one mobile device 20 at a time through the communication unit. Even if the X-ray image acquiring device 10 is connected to a plurality of mobile devices at the same time, Only the mobile device 20 of the present invention can be given exclusively. This is to prevent crossing of the device control. Such exclusive access may be made through registration and authentication procedures.

The x-ray image acquiring device 10 provides status information to the connected mobile device 20 through a registration and authentication procedure. The mobile device 20 may check the status information through an application installed in the device and may generate a control signal for controlling the X-ray image acquiring device 10. [ This method is called mirroring. It is known that the situation occurring in the X-ray image acquiring device 10 is confirmed in real time through the mobile device 20 and is transmitted to the X-ray image acquiring device 10 through a convenient user interface of the mobile device 20. [ Can be controlled. The control signal may include a signal related to the operation of the apparatus such as a photographing preparation, a photographing operation, an emergency stop, etc., as well as a signal relating to the setting of the apparatus such as the size of the area FOV and the X-

The X-ray image acquiring apparatus 10 may transmit the image pickup data RAW Data acquired from the X-ray sensor to the mobile device 20. The photographed data refers to data in a state before being reconstructed into an X-ray image. The exchange of such information is performed through a communication unit provided in the X-ray image acquiring device 10, and the communication unit may include a wireless communication interface compatible with a general-purpose mobile device, for example, a WiFi communication module .

The mobile device 20 can reconstruct an x-ray image using the received photographing data RAW Data. To this end, the application installed in the mobile device 20 may include a reconstruction module. As a result of the reconstruction, x-ray image data is generated, and the x-ray image data can be provided in the DICOM format, which is a medical image standard format. In addition, it may be provided in a common image file format such as JPEG or TIFF. The application of the mobile device 20 includes a viewer module that expresses the X-ray image data of the above-described format in the form of an image on the screen, so that the photographer can confirm the X-ray image through the viewer module.

The mobile device 20 may be connected to the cloud server 30 to store or retrieve X-ray image data (DICOM or Image). Since the X-ray image data contains a lot of information, the capacity of the X-ray image data is large, and the mobile device 20 can use the cloud server 30 through the wireless network environment to reduce burden on the storage and management of large capacity data.

FIG. 2 shows a configuration of an X-ray image system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The x-ray image system S2 according to the present embodiment includes an x-ray image acquiring device 11, a mobile device 21, and a cloud server 31 as in the embodiment of Fig. The mobile device 21 is exclusively connected to the x-ray image acquiring device 11 and provides a control signal for controlling the x-ray image acquiring device 11. The cloud server 31 is connected to the mobile device 21 and provides storage and management of x-ray image data. These points are common to the embodiment of FIG. 1 described above.

In the x-ray image system S2 according to the present embodiment, the x-ray image acquiring device 11 can be directly connected to the cloud server 31. [ The communication unit of the X-ray image acquiring device 11 for high-speed data communication with the cloud server 31 transmits X-ray imaging data (RAW Data) to the cloud server 31 using a wired communication module, for example, (31). However, the connection means may be changed according to the communication environment, or may be connected through wireless communication.

In this case, the function of reconstructing the X-ray image data (DICOM or Image) using the X-ray imaging data (RAW Data) can be performed in the cloud server 31. The cloud server 31 provides the reconfigured x-ray image data to the mobile device 21 connected via the wireless communication network and the photographer can confirm the x-ray image using the viewer function of the application installed in the mobile device 21 . On the other hand, the device connected to the cloud server 31 to receive the x-ray image data is not limited to one mobile device 21. For example, x-ray image data may also be provided to a doctor's mobile device, a terminal connected via a PC or other wired communication network.

As a modified example of the X-ray imaging system S2 according to the present embodiment, reconstruction (reconstruction) of reconstructing the X-ray image data (DICOM or Image) using the X-ray imaging data (RAW Data) May be provided. In this case, the x-ray image acquiring device 11 transmits the x-ray image data of the dicom format or image file format to the cloud server 31. The mobile device 21 connected to the cloud server 31 downloads the X-ray image data and confirms the X-ray image data on the screen, stores the X-ray image data in the database of the cloud server 31, Information can be reworked and managed.

FIG. 3 shows a configuration of an X-ray image system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The x-ray image system S3 according to the present embodiment includes the x-ray image acquiring device 12, the mobile device 22, and the cloud server 32 as in the embodiment of Fig. 1 or Fig. The mobile device 22 is exclusively connected to the X-ray image acquiring device 12 and provides a control signal for controlling the X-ray image acquiring device 12. The cloud server 32 is connected to the mobile device 22 and provides storage and management of x-ray image data. These points are common to the embodiment of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 described above.

In the X-ray image system S3 according to the present embodiment, the X-ray image acquisition device 12 may have a reconstruction unit for reconstructing the X-ray image data (DICOM or Image) using the X-ray imaging data (RAW Data). In this case, the x-ray image acquiring device 12 may reconstruct the x-ray image and then transmit the x-ray image data in the diocom or image file format to the connected mobile device 22 first. The mobile device 22 receives the X-ray image data, confirms the X-ray image data on the screen, stores the X-ray image data in the database of the cloud server 32, re-processes the data into other types of information such as a medical care chart, have.

As a modified example of the x-ray image system S3 according to the present embodiment, the x-ray image acquiring device 12 reconstructs an x-ray image and then reconstructs a relatively small amount of x- The image data may be transmitted to the mobile device 22 so as to be confirmed by the photographer, and the relatively large-capacity X-ray image data, for example, data in the diocom format may be uploaded to the cloud server 32 after confirmation of the photographer. In this way, data traffic can be efficiently managed.

Meanwhile, the X-ray imaging system according to the present invention may further include a monitor 42 and a digital media receiver 421 for allowing a photographer or a doctor to view an X-ray image on a large screen. The digital media receiver 421 is connected to an input port of the monitor 42 and receives x-ray image data from the mobile device 22 by wireless or wire communication to provide a video signal to be output to the monitor 42 do. If the viewer function is embedded in the digital media receiver 421, the X-ray image data may be directly received from the X-ray image acquiring device 12 to display the image on the monitor 42.

As described above, the configuration utilizing the monitor 42 and the digital media receiver 421 is not limited to the X-ray imaging system S3 according to the present embodiment, but also the X-ray imaging system according to the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2 (S1, S2).

FIG. 4 shows a configuration of an X-ray image acquisition device and a mobile device in the X-ray image system according to the embodiment of FIGS.

The X-ray image acquisition apparatus 10A includes an imaging unit 101 including an X-ray generator and an X-ray sensor, and status information (Status) including information on the setting and operation state of the imaging unit 101, A communication unit 104 that transmits the control signal to the mobile device 20A and receives the control signal from the mobile device 20A and controls the photographing unit 101 in accordance with the control signal, And a control unit (102) for providing the status information (Status) of the photographing unit (101) to the communication unit (104).

The mobile device 20A includes a control module 201 for generating a control signal for the x-ray image acquiring device 10A and a viewer module for displaying an image on the display device using the x- 202, and a communication module 204 for performing wireless communication by connecting to the x-ray image acquiring device 10A and the cloud server 30A. This configuration is implemented by utilizing the hardware of the mobile device 20A as an application that is software installed in the mobile device 20A.

When the X-ray image acquiring device 10A is applied to the X-ray imaging system S1 according to the embodiment of FIG. 1, the X-ray imaging data RAW Data acquired from the X- To the mobile device (20A) through the communication unit (104), and the mobile device (20A) receives it through the communication module (204). In this case, the mobile device 20A may further include a reconstruction module 203 for reconstructing the received X-ray imaging data (RAW Data) to generate x-ray image data. When the reconstruction module 203 reconfigures the X-ray image data, the viewer module 202 generates an image that can be displayed on the screen of the display unit using the X-ray image data. This process is called image processing. On the other hand, the mobile device 20A uploads reconstructed X-ray image data (DICOM or Image) to the cloud server 30A, and stores and manages the reconstructed X-ray image data (DICOM or Image). But may be utilized in another terminal connected to the cloud server 30A.

As another example, when the x-ray image acquisition apparatus 10A, the mobile apparatus 20A and the cloud server 30A are applied to the x-ray image system S2 according to the embodiment of Fig. 2, The server 30A may be configured to receive and reconstruct the x-ray imaging data (RAW Data) from the x-ray image acquiring device 10A and then transmit the reconstructed x-ray image data (DICOM or Image) to the mobile device 20A have.

As another example, when the x-ray image acquisition device 10A, the mobile device 20A, and the cloud server 30A are applied to the x-ray image system S3 according to the embodiment of Fig. 3, The reconstruction unit 103 is provided in the image acquisition apparatus 10A to directly reconstruct the X-ray imaging data acquired by the imaging unit 101 and to reconstruct the reconstructed X-ray image data (DICOM or Image) to the mobile device 20A Lt; / RTI >

2 and 3, the reconstructing unit 103 of the X-ray image acquiring apparatus 10A reconstructs the X-ray image data and transmits it to the cloud server 30A Or transmits the image data of the preview level derived from the image data reconstructed by the reconstructing unit 103 to the mobile device 20A. When the photographer confirms this, the X-ray image data of the diCom format is transmitted to the cloud server Or directly to the server 30A.

As another example, although not shown in the drawings, the reconstruction unit 103 is provided in two or more of the x-ray image acquisition apparatus 10A, the mobile apparatus 20A, and the cloud server 30A, Data), or reconstruct the X-ray data (RAW Data) at a place with relatively low traffic.

S1, S2, S3: X-ray imaging system
10, 10A, 11, 12: X-ray image acquisition device
20, 20A, 21, 22: mobile devices
30, 30A, 31, 32: Cloud server
42: monitor 421: digital media receiver

Claims (8)

An imaging unit including an x-ray generator and an x-ray sensor;
A communication unit for transmitting status information of the photographing unit to a specific mobile device and receiving a control signal from the mobile device; And
And a control unit for controlling the photographing unit according to the control signal and providing the state information of the photographing unit to the communication unit.
X-ray image acquisition device. The method according to claim 1,
And transmitting the photographed data acquired by the X-ray sensor to the mobile device via the communication unit,
X-ray image acquisition device. The method according to claim 1,
And transmits the photographed data acquired from the X-ray sensor to an external cloud server through the communication unit.
X-ray image acquisition device. The method according to claim 1,
And a reconstruction unit for reconstructing the x-ray image data using the photographing data acquired from the x-ray sensor,
Ray image data to the mobile device or an external cloud server through the communication unit,
X-ray image acquisition device. X - ray image acquisition device;
A mobile device exclusively connected to the x-ray image acquiring device and providing a control signal for controlling the x-ray image acquiring device; And
And a cloud server connected to at least one of the x-ray image acquiring device and the mobile device and providing a function of storing and managing x-ray image data,
The x-ray image acquiring apparatus includes:
An imaging unit including an x-ray generator and an x-ray sensor;
A communication unit for transmitting status information of the photographing unit to the mobile device and receiving the control signal from the mobile device; And
And a control unit for controlling the photographing unit according to the control signal and providing the state information of the photographing unit to the communication unit.
X-ray imaging system. 6. The method of claim 5,
Wherein at least one of the mobile device, the X-ray image acquiring device, and the cloud server further comprises a reconstruction module for reconstructing the X-ray image data using the photographing data acquired from the X-
X-ray imaging system. The method according to claim 6,
The mobile device includes:
A control module for generating a control signal for the x-ray image acquiring device;
A viewer module for displaying an image on a display unit using x-ray image data; And
And a communication module connected to the x-ray image acquisition device and the cloud server to perform wireless communication,
X-ray imaging system. 6. The method of claim 5,
monitor; And
Further comprising a digital media receiver coupled to an input port of the monitor for receiving x-ray image data from the mobile device or the x-ray image acquisition device and providing an image signal to the monitor,
X-ray imaging system.

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